Bridge type deflection circuit



Sept. 30, 1952 D. F. WINTER 2,612,620

BRIDGE TYPE DEFLECTION CIRCUIT Filed Sept. 9, 1950 SWEEP INITIATING SOURCE mwzzvrm DA v10 E WINTER Pw w AT T ORNE Y5 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 2,612,620 BRIDGE TYPE DEFLECTION CIRCUIT David F. Winter, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc., Clifton, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1950, Serial No. 183,992

This invention relates to a circuit for generating balanced sweep voltages, and an unblanking gate voltage for a cathode ray tube indicator or like device.

In common or conventional balanced sweep circuits, the tubes generating the sawtooth sweep voltages carry current at all times during the period the instrument is in use. Accordingly. it is a fundamental object of this invention to produce a balanced sweep voltage which will eliminate the necessity for a quiescent current substantiallyequal to the sweep current in the tube which generates the positive sawtooth volt- Although the quiescent current used by the tube normally is not a serious problem for relatively slow; sweep speeds, it becomes a prohibitive iactorwhere sweep speeds in excessof five inches per microsecond in high voltage cathode ray tubes are needed. For example, a conventional sweep circuit for use with a 5 RP cathode ray tube would require approximately two hundred fifty watts power dissipation during standby conditionstodevelop a sweep speed of 40 inches per'microsecond.

It is, therefore, a second object of the invention to provide a. sweep circuit useful with high voltage cathode ray tubes, which eliminates the excessive power dissipation requirement for these tubes duringtheir standby periods.

Since the circuit comprising the instant invention requires no quiescent switch tube power, and dissipates energy only duringthe sweep and recharge time for the circuit elements, which for high sweep speeds amounts to only a fraction of the total time in operation, material advantages are gainedftherefrom. For example, this circuit requires only twenty-five watts to produce a sweep in a five inch tube having a speed of 40 inches per [microsecond at a repetition frequency of one megacycle per second, as compared to the two-hu'ndred-fifty watt dissipation mentioned for conventional circuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide an unblanking beam voltage to eifect the switching on of the beam simultaneously with the start of the sweep voltage.

It isstill another object of the invention .to provide a circuit which will produce a sweep voltage having substantially twice the amplitude of the voltage'of the power supply for the tube.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter. In accordance with the invention, the sweep Claims. (Cl; 315-22) and not as an amplifier.

. 2 I voltage is shaped by the elements of a bridge circuit, while the switch tube acts merely as a switch The elements or the bridge circuit include inductances and capacitances in the arms thereof havingthe cathode ray tube deflection plates connected across the diagonal of the bridge, and also recharging means in the plate circuit of the switch tube. The amount of power consumed by this circuit is dependent upon the duty cycle thereof, whereas the amount ofv power taken by the conventional circuit is essentially independent of the duty cycle. Thus, the invention is embodied in a circuit having the element and combination of e1ements as described in further detail below. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic form one em bodiment of the invention in which a cathode ray tube In has its horizontal deflection plate |4-l5 connected to points 12 and I3 respectively on one diagonal of a bridge circuit which is the source of a sweep voltage for a'cathode ray tube.

For description and analysis of the operation of the sweep circuit it is best to start at the high voltage power supply for the circuit. Source 20 supplies high voltage, Eb, through line 2 I, resistor 22, which resistor forms a portion of recharge circuit 23, to switch tube 24. Recharge circuit 23 incorporates an inductance 21 and a diode 28' connected in parallel at the opposite end of the network 29 from the resistor 22, and serves to in: sure a quick return of thevoltage at the plate of tube 24 to the voltage of the source 20 without appreciable overswing. The cathode of the switch tube 24 is connected to ground. The con-ftrol grid 25 of the switch tube receives the sweep initiating pulses from source 26.

The bridge circuit proper comprises a Dairof networks 30 and 3 I, which are substantially identical and comprise in each case an inductance and a resistance or other shaping means. In series with each of the networks is a capacitor. Thus capacitor 32 is insseries with network 30 and capacitor 33 is in series with network 3|.

The two pairs of elements; network 30 and'ca-- pacitor 32, with capacitor 33 and'network 3!,

are connected in parallel" to form a four-armed bridge across which cathode ray tube It] is connected. Thus the two arms of the bridge including the network 30 an capacitor 33 are con-, nected together at point 34, which pointis connected to the plate of theswitch tube. In similar fashion the two arms of the bridge-comprising network 3| and capacitor'32 are grounded? Thus it will be seen that switch tube 24 is essentially in parallel with the bridge, or across that diagonal opposite to that of the cathode ray tube Hi.

It will be obvious that in place of capacitors 32 and 33 a direct voltage isolating element,

which may be a gaseous voltage regulator tube in combination with shaping elements, such as inductorstcapacitorszand resistors,;r may-be used;

An additional network 40 is connected; between the plate of the switch tube 24 through potentiometer 4|, having contact point 42, to a ground. This contact point 42 .is connected to the cathode of the electron gun 43"o'f the cathode ray tube I0. v. l

The operation of the circuitmay be: understood by reference to the circuit shown in Figure 1, and

the voltage curves in Figure ,2. Normally,. the control grid of the switch tube"2'4 is held ata negative potential and keeps the tube completely non-conducting until such time as a sweep voltageis-frdesi'red a ,..'he ;.operation ofthe circuit is asrfollows:

When the :potential on the control grid .25- of switch-tube 24 .is .raised. to a .sufliciently high positive level by theeapplication of a,ipositi've pulse... fr.om the sweep .initiatingsource .26, the switch tube-conducts. and discharges capacitor lyrthrough network 130, capacitor .33 through network, 3, It .and the capacitance of. network ,40

potentiometer 4|. These .several disin each of two sides, said deflection plates being X connected across one diagonal of said bridge and a source of potential being connected across the second "r'diago'nal iof said-"bridge. V

. a. A deflection circuit to'r-a cathOddmy tube having deflection plates comprising a bridge in- :cluding a capacitor in series with a parallel con- .nectedresistance-inductance network in each of two sides, said deflection plates being connected zacrossz-one diagonal-.101 said bridge and a source wot:potentiali-beingmonnected across the second diagonal 'of said' brldge.

. 3.,Adefiectioncircuit for a cathode ray tube I having deflection "plates comprising a bridge charge currentsgenerateseveral voltages shown inthe timetsynchronizcdcurves of. Figure 2.

the :discharge of capacitor 3.2 through the network ,30 .causes the voltageat point 12 of the network which is connected to deflection plate T4 of cathode ray tube ID, to drop in a mannerwhich is. a function ofthecharacteristics of the. network and reaches the potential designated IEoion the diagram in .Fi'gure 2. .E 'osisthe vpltage acrossjswitchrtube 24 during conduction. When .tube '24 isagas thyratron this would be .the ionization potential. "When itris ajhard vtube thisvalu'e will depend upon, the cathodeemission properties, "E0 is the voltage across switchjtube zikduring' conduction. When tube 24 isia gas thyrajtronthis would be the ionization potential. Wh' it is a hard tube this'value will depend w j the ifcathode' emission properties. E0 is Hat 'IJ nFie' Ie' fiAtth same time the voltage on deflection plate l'5'"whi c h is connected toQpoin'tlii diagon lly-o o t ii om 32 on th -"b id e drop rap currenhpa ssing'through the tube 24 and the dis- I tilbuted capacitance l6 between this plateof the the invention has. beendescribed with onl agsinglehembodimentit will be apparent. that v ationsithereoilmay be made without depart-p a, eishirit or -.sc.ope. o the invention,

dly -from "its qu escent value of zero to a, value "(Ez 'fEd in a.time depending xupo'nthe havingifour arms, one arm including a first capacitor, a second arm connected thereto including a .first lparallelreconnected resistance-einductancenetwork. ,a thirdfiarm connected a thereto in cluding a second capacitor ,anda. iourth a connected thereto and to said first arm includ: ing a second parallel-connected resistance-in ductance network, said wdeflection. plates. being connected across one diagcnal-oissaidbridgei Q 4. A circuit in accordance withnclaim 3 inf, cludingia cathode ray tube. having its deiiecti o'n means connected diagonally across vsaid bridge between the point .of connection betweenisaid first capacitor and said first network and be-v tween said-secondcapacitor andsaidsecond net work, and a discharge tube connected across said bridge between said first capacitor. and saidsecondsnetwork andsaid first network ,vandusai'd sec- 0nd, capacitor.

5. The circuit injaccordance, wlthvsclaim 41in I which the'jplate circuit of said dischargetube ineludes a charging. circuit.

"6'. The circuit in accordance with claimj which a pulse forming network isiconnectedbc: tween the plate of said discharge tube and the, cathode of 1 said cathode ray t be. I 7. 'A device in accordance with claimsfiiijnwhich saidpulse forming network. is connected toisaid cathoderay tube "cathode through ,a poten-v tiometer; V L

f-8 i A deflection. circuit for a cathode ray tube" having at least two deflection plates and a oath ode, which comprises a source ,of'voltageha, grid controlled {thermionic :tube having a plate, cathode, and a grid, normallybiasedto lcutofhflsaid O c ngjg nded. a first armpt'albridgef circuit including a first capacitor, connected. thereto,"a;secorrd arm of said bridge comprisingal parallel-connectedresistanceeinductancenetwork connected 'in series-with said first a a it he;

tween said'plate and the cathode of t saidLtherm: ionic tube, 'a'."third arm or said ridge incurs; ing a second capacitor connected inseries. with a second "network comprising a Darallell1con nected resistance-inductance network between i Said Plate. nd, he, a od 41 isai gthermi nic ers d "fi st ca cit ibeine .cOnnected.,-a-1so in aid p1 te,fitbe Junction; or .said, second ,netwqrjg and said-second capacitor being. connected-tonne of said deflection platesiotsaidi cathode ray ztube, the iunction of jisaifd rfirst capacitor and said sfirstnetworlclbeing connectedltolthegother of said de 1 flectiongplait'es,athirdfinetwork.comprisinginducta ance' and; capacitance 1 connected seriesepamllelrelation in series with-1a potentiometer-having an adjustable tap, Said third network beingcoiie" said potentiometer being connected to the cathode of said thermionic tube, said adjustable tap being connected to the cathode of said cathode ray tube. and a sweep initiating source connected to the control grid of said thermionic tube to initiate conductance therein.

9. The circuit of claim 8 in which said thermionic tube comprises a gaseous discharge tube.

10. A deflection circuit for a cathode ray tube having at least two deflection plates and a cathode, which comprises a source of voltage, a switching device comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, said second terminal being grounded, means for operating said switching device, said device being normally non-conducting, a first arm of a bridge circuit including a first capacitor connected thereto, a second arm of said bridge comprising a parallel-connected resistance-inductance network connected in series with said first capacitor between said first terminal and said second terminal, a third arm "of said bridge including a second capacitor connected in series with a second network comprising a parallel-connected resistance-inductance network between said first terminal and said second terminal, said first capacitor being connected also to said first terminal, the junction of said second network and said second capacitor being connected to one of said deflection plates of said cathode ray tube, the junction of said first capacitor and said first network being connected to the other of said deflection plates, a third network comprising inductance and capacitance connected in series-parallel relation in series with DAVID F. WINTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,402,270 Altanan June 18, 1946 3,404,099 Schade July 16, 1946 21,439,313 Meagher Apr. 6, 1948 12,458,366 Flyer Jan. 4, 1949 2,459,278 Haantjes Jan. 18,. 1949 2,498,007

Schade Feb. 21, 1950 

